Pipe coupling and the method of making and using the same



Feb. 28, 1939. c. HAMPE ET AL 2,148,747

PE COUPLING AND THE METHOD OF MAKING AND USING THE SAM Original Filed Oct. 2l, 1937 Y ...Il

F'I G2.

15 In the milk bottling industry in theUnited tremely desirable that such a fitting may be 15 4o even the approved type of unions available at the over a Section of ripe and prior to actual rigid 4o 50 with a thick scum that must actually be scraped ent invention 5o Patented Fell. 2s, 1939 l 2,148,747A

PIPE COUPLING AND THE METHOD F MAKING AND USING THE SAME Carl Hampe and Everett Kleisly, St. Louis, Mo.

original application october 21,1937, serialNo. 170,146. Divided and this application June 29, 193s, serial No. 216,441

3 Claims. (Cl. 29-157) This invention relates to certainnew'anduseful excessive accumulation of deleterious bacterial improvements in pipe couplings and the method matter. of making and using the same, and is a division Apart from the purely hygienic aspect, there of our co-pending application Serial No. 170,146, are a number of practical considerations in- 5 led October 21, 1937. y volved. It will be apparent that sanitary pipe 5 In certain vindustries at the present time, such ttings of the character under discussion must as the milk and beverage bottling industries, the necessarily be taken apart and Put back together pipes and vessels in which the beverage is conagain with relativelyA great frequency, thereby- Veyed and handled must be repeatedly cleaned in producing considerable wear and consequent need l0 a very thorough and hygienic manner. In fact, for replacement. This being the case, it is del0 in numerous cities throughout this and other sirable that the pipe ltting be simple in construccountries the maintenance of sanitary conditicn, S0 that it may be readily taken apart and tions in plants of this character sfrgidly governed put back together again' Without undue loss of by statute and regulations. time. In addition to this, it is furthermore e1;-

States, for instance, most large municipalities readily replaced or reconditioned in a simple,

have milk regulation ordinances, which, among Speedy, and economical manner. v

other things, require that all the pipes and vessels It is hence an object 0f the present lnVentlOn with which the beverage comes into direct contact to provide a pipe coupling or fitting and method must be emptied at regular stated periods and for making and using the same which is extremely 20 thoroughly cleaned. The regulations set up un- Sanitary, presenting entirely accessible and thorder these ordinances frequently require that even oughly cleansable surfaces; which is simple, ecoconduit pipes through which the liquid is conncmical, and yet Sturdy and rugged in construcveyed must' be taken apart every day and thortion; which may be installed and utilized with a oughly cleaned out. These regulations even go minimum 0f labcr expense; Which may bereadily 25 so far as to specify the particular type of pipe maintained and replaced in a relatively Speedy, which must be used, the size of the pipe, the maxeilicient, and eccncrnical manner; and Which iS imum permissible angularity of the bends in the Otherwise highly efcient in the perfernlance 0f t pipe, and the particular manner in which the its intended functiOnS.

pipes may be connected to each other and to the And With thegabOVe and Other Objects in View, 30 vessels into which the beverage flows. our invention resides in the novel features of form,

The regulations covering the pipe connecting construction, arrangement, and combination of ttings prevent the use of ordinary pipe connecparts presently described and pointed out in the tions, such as the sleeve and-nipple type, and inclaims.

stead require the use of various types of so-called In the accompanying drawing.- 35 sanitaryunions. These sanitary unions at the Figure 1 iS a longitudinal Sectional View 0f a present time are variously constructed to meet Pipe coupling constructed in accordance With and the requirements of the regulations. However, embodying our present invention, illustrating paractual experience and research have shown that ticnlaly the Pipe ccllpling aS it iS 100Sely fitted present time in some manner or other have a connection theretf; non-accessible crevice between the pipe and the l Figure 2 is a longitudinal Seftlonal View Qf the fitting, in which various pathogenic spores may pipe tting inustrafmg tile tt'mg sections ngldly accumulate with resultant deleterious effect upon connected to Phe, plpe prior to the tnmming-and the beverage. In the case of hot milk moving ttmg operatlon f Fi ur 3 i a lon itudinal sectional view of the through plpes from the pasteunzer to the coolmg iittirg aend psipe setion in finished form; and

` towers, the faces of the pipe ttings in the course Figures 4, 5a 6 and 7 are longitudinal sectional of even one day s' Operation Wm become caked views, respectively, of modified forms of the presaway from the metallic surface. Obviously, Referring now lnmore detail and by reference therefore, fittings 0f this character ShOuld Pref characters to the' drawing, which illustrates a era-bly be so arranged that any orevioesfor juncpreferred embodiment of the present invention, ture points are readily accessible and may be A, A', respectively,designate two pieces of metaleasily scraped or otherwise cleansed to prevent lic pipe which are to be joined together. 'Ihe 55 4 of the male sleeve I.

rings of solder I2, I3, I4, and I5, respectively, are' fitting comprises preferably `three component parts, namely, a male sleeve I, a female sleeve 2, and a locking collar 3. The male sleeve I is axially bored or machined to a diameter which is approximately .005 to .01 inch larger than the outside diameter of the pipe A over which it is to be fitted, so that it will slide freely in collar-wise fashion thereover. The male sleeve I is further provided at its so-called joint-forming end with an enlarged annular rim 4, which is provided with an external machine thread 5 and on its outwardly presented transverse face is beveled inwardly to provide a joint face 6. The female male sleeve is further provided at lts joint-form` ing end with a preferably integrally enlarged annular rim 1, which is of substantially smaller external diametrical size than the external diametrical size of the corresponding annular rim The annular rim 'I of the female sleeve 2 is further provided on its inwardly presented end with a machined radial abutment face 8 and on its other or joint-forming end is beveled outwardly to provide a joint face 9 complementary in size and shape to the joint face 6 of the male sleeve I.

The collar 3 may be provided on its external surface with a knurling or a series of fiat faces for facilitating the application thereto of a wrench or other tool in tightening up the joint. On its inner face adjacent to and extending inwardly from its forward edge, the collar 3 is provided with an internal machine thread I0 for threaded engagement with the thread 5 of the male sleeve I. Adjacent its rearward edge, the collar is integrally provided with a radially inwardly extending annular rim II, the internal diametrical size of which is substantially larger than the external diametrical size of the pipe A over which it ls to fit, the rim II being designed to abut against the annular rim 1 of the female sleeve 2 for drawing the male and female sleeves of the fitting into tight joint-forming engagement.

In applying the fitting to the pipe sections A, A', respectively, the ends of the pipe A, A', which are to be fitted together, may be tinned or otherin molten condition. It has been `found that if the pipe and the sleeves are all warmed prior to the performance of this operation, the respective sleeves will slide smoothly over the pipe despite the relatively small amount of clearance provided. 'Ihe fittings are slid over the ends of the pipe, so that approximately an eighth or three-sixteenths of an inch of the pipe projects outwardly from the sleeve, as shown in Figure 1. Thereupon,

run annularly around the juncture points between the respective sleeves I and 2 and the pipes, as shown in Figure 2,. As soon asthe rings of solder have become thoroughly cooledthe projecting portions of pipe and solder are trimmed down with a conventional type of union-facing tool to provide complementary interfitting jointforming faces, whereupon the collar 3 may be drawn over the female sleeve 2 and threaded onto 4the male sleeve I, drawing the respective pipe sections and the sleeves I and 2-into tight jointforming position, as shown in Figure 3. It may be stated in this connection that the union-facing tool may readily be adjusted, so that, in facing off the above-mentioned projecting portions of pipe and solder, a very slight film of solder will be left on the joint-forming faces 6 and 9, respectively, of the sleeves I and 2, thereby providing a completely tight sanitary and entirely accessible juncture between the pipe and the respectiveparts of the fitting or union. By reference to Figure 3, it will furthermore be noted that the joint between the pipe sections A, A', is substantially a pipe-to-pipe type of juncture. It will be readily apparent that when the joint is taken apart for cleaning, the crevice into which the bacterial matter may creep is readily accessible to the cleaning and sterilizing agents which may be used. Furthermore, the inner surfaces of the pipe or conduit which are exposed to the beverage passing therethrough are entirely smooth and do not present any crevices or protuberances against which bacterial matter may lodge.

In the event that it is not desired to tin the outer surface of the pipe before applying the male and female sleeves thereto, the sleeves may with equal facility be provided somewhat less clearance and either slid directly over the pipe or even shrunk thereon by the conventional heat-shrinking process. Thereupon, the solder rings I2, I3, I4, I5, may be applied and the fitting nished in the same manner as above described.

In certain cases, it may be founddesirable to avoid cutting down the actual pipe projection, as

above described. In such a case, a male sleeve I and a female sleeve 2' may be constructed substantially in the same manner as previously described, except adjacent the inner portion of the respective beveled joint faces 6', 9', the sleeves may each be provided with annular recesses I6, I1. 'Ihe sleeves are thereupon fitted over the pipe in any of the manners above described, so that the pipe .ends project outwardly into the recesses I6, I1, respectively, but not beyond the line of the beveled joint faces 6', 9. Inner solder rings I3', I4', may be run into the recesses I6, I1, respectively, and faced olf flush with the beveled faces 6', 9', in the formation of a joint, all as best seen in Figure 4. 'I'his modification is particularly useful in cases where it is desired to have an almost gasketed fitting to withstand relatively great changes in temperature. and pressure, the faced-olf inner rings ofv solder I3', I4', actually functioning in a manner similar to lead gaskets and yet at the same time having all the advantages of a machined fitting. In case it is desirable to avoid any machining or facing off of the inner rings of solder, the solder rings may be so constructed as to only partially fill the recesses I6, I1, as best seen in Figure 5.

In some instances, it has been found desirable to employ a formof flared joint. In such a case, a male fitting I8 may be constructed in substantially the same manner as has been previously described, except that the joint-forming face I9 thereof is beveled outwardly rather than inwardly. Instead of employing a female fitting, as has been above described, the pipe section A" is ared outwardly at an angle complementaryto the bevel face I9 of the malefltting I8 and is lprovided with a collar' 20, which is internally angle complementary to the beveled face I9 of the male fitting I8. When the flared section of the pipe is placed within the collar 20 and the collar is threaded onto the male sleeve I8,

a secure and tight joint will result, 'as shown in accessible for cleaning purposes, and at the same time are unusually simple, sturdy, rugged, and economical in construction and may be installed with a minimum of labor cost.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the pipe couplings may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our present invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is,-

l. The method of forming a pipe joint between two non-flanged pipe sections comprising rigidly mounting an annular collar upon the first pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that the pipe section projects through the 'collar, rigidly mounting an annular collar upon the second pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that said pipe section projects through the collar, securing said collars to said pipe sections by rings of solder respectively formed between the outwardlypresented surface of the projecting portions of the pipe and the outwardly presented adjacent face of the collar, facing off both of said collars and the projecting ends of the associated pipe sections for complementary joint forming abutment in which the edges of the pipe sections engage each other, and releasably securingsaid collars at the associated pipe sections tightly in endwise abutment.

2. The method of forming a pipe joint between two non-anged pipe sections comprising rigidly mounting an annular collar upon the first pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that the pipe section projects through said collar, forming a substantial ring of solder annulariy round the outside of the projecting pipeportion and against the adjacent surface of the collar, rigidly mounting an annular collar upon the second pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that the pipe section projects through said collarl forming a substantial ring of solider annuiarly around the outside of the projecting pipe-portion and against the adjacent surface of the collar, facing off both of said co1'- lars, the projecting ends of the associated pipe section and the solder rings for complementary joint forming abutment in which the edges of the pipe sections engage each other and releasably securing said collars and the associated pipe sections in tight endwise abutment.

3. The method of forming a pipe joint between h two non-hanged pipe sections comprising rigidly mounting an annular collar upon the first pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that the pipe section projects through said collar, forming a substantial ring of solder annularly around the outside of the projecting pipeportion and against the adjacent surface of the collar, rigidly mounting anannular collar upon the second pipe section adjacent its open end in such a manner that the pipe section projects through said collar, forming a substantial ring of solder annularly around .the outside of the projecting pipe-portion and against the adjacent surface of the collar, facing oi both of said collars, the projecting ends of the associated pipe sections and the solder rings 'in the formation of endwise complementarily fitting joint sections each integrally including an inner annular surface formed by the pipe and intermediate concentric annular surface formed by the solder and an external concentric surface formed by the collar, .and releasably securing said collars and the associated pipe sections tightly in endwise abutment in the formation .of a joint in which the pipe sections are in engagement.

CARL HAMPE. EVERETI' KLEISLY. 

